METHOD FOR A CHEMICAL AND/OR ELECTROLYTIC SURFACE TREATMENT OF A SUBSTRATE IN A PROCESS STATION

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for a chemical and/or electrolytic surface treatment of a substrate in a process station and a process station for a chemical and/or electrolytic surface treatment of a substrate.

The method for a chemical and/or electrolytic surface treatment comprises the following steps, not necessarily in this order: mounting a substrate to be treated to a rotor unit, moving the rotor unit with the substrate into a pre-wetting chamber of the process station, applying a pre-wetting fluid to the substrate in the pre-wetting chamber, moving the rotor unit with the substrate at least partially out of the pre-wetting chamber, spinning the rotor unit with the substrate in a spinning plane to centrifugally reduce the pre-wetting fluid at a surface of the substrate, rotating the rotor unit with the substrate normal to the spinning plane so that the substrate faces away from the pre-wetting chamber, moving the rotor unit with the substrate into an electroplating chamber of the process station, applying an electrolyte liquid and an electric current to the substrate for an electroplating process on the substrate in the electroplating chamber, and moving the rotor unit with the substrate at least partially out of the electroplating chamber.

Claims

1. A method for a chemical and/or electrolytic surface treatment of a substrate in a process station, comprising: mounting a substrate to be treated to a rotor unit, moving the rotor unit with the substrate into a pre-wetting chamber of the process station, applying a pre-wetting fluid to the substrate inside the pre-wetting chamber, moving the rotor unit with the substrate at least partially out of the pre-wetting chamber, spinning the rotor unit with the substrate in a spinning plane to centrifugally reduce the pre-wetting fluid at a surface of the substrate, rotating the rotor unit with the substrate normal to the spinning plane so that the substrate faces away from the pre-wetting chamber, moving the rotor unit with the substrate into an electroplating chamber of the process station, applying an electrolyte liquid and an electric current to the substrate for an electroplating process on the substrate inside the electroplating chamber, and moving the rotor unit with the substrate at least partially out of the electroplating chamber.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the pre-wetting chamber and the electroplating chamber are arranged in the same process station.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of modifying a gas system in the pre-wetting chamber, wherein the modification of the gas system is a reduction of pressure relative to atmospheric pressure before the pre-wetting step, an increase of pressure to atmospheric pressure after the pre-wetting step and/or an exchange of gas relative to ambient air before and/or after the pre-wetting step.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the electroplating is done in ambient air and/or atmospheric pressure.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the following steps after moving the rotor unit with the substrate out of the electroplating chamber: rotating the rotor unit with the substrate so that the substrate faces towards the pre-wetting chamber, moving the rotor unit with the substrate into the pre-wetting chamber, and applying a rinsing liquid to the substrate in the pre-wetting chamber to remove the electrolyte liquid from the substrate.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step: applying a drying flow to the substrate in the pre-wetting chamber to dry the substrate.

7. A process station for a chemical and/or electrolytic surface treatment of a substrate, comprising a rotor unit, a pre-wetting chamber, and an electroplating chamber, wherein the rotor unit is configured to hold a substrate to be treated and to move the substrate at least partially in and out of the pre-wetting chamber and in and out of the electroplating chamber, wherein the pre-wetting chamber is configured to pre-wet the substrate by means of a pre-wetting fluid, wherein the electroplating chamber is configured to apply an electrolyte liquid and an electric current to the substrate for an electroplating process on the substrate, and wherein the rotor unit is further configured to spin the substrate in a spinning plane and to rotate with the substrate normal to the spinning plane so that the substrate faces towards the pre-wetting chamber or towards the electroplating chamber.

8. The process station according to claim 7, wherein the pre-wetting chamber and/or the electroplating chamber are arranged opposite to each other with the rotor unit in between.

9. The process station according to claim 7, wherein the rotor unit comprises a fixing means to fix the substrate to the rotor unit, wherein the fixing means is configured to enable a surface treatment of one or more substrate surfaces.

10. The process station according to claim 7, wherein the rotor unit comprises a sealing means to close the pre-wetting chamber and/or the electroplating chamber liquid tight and/or gas tight.

11. The process station according to claim 7, wherein the rotor unit comprises a gas supply system to supply gas to the pre-wetting chamber.

12. The process station according to claim 7, wherein the rotor unit comprises a pressure reduction system to reduce a pressure in the pre-wetting chamber.

13. The process station according to claim 7, wherein the rotor unit is configured to spin the substrate with 1500 rounds per minute and more, preferably 2000 rounds per minute.

14. The process station according to claim 7, wherein the rotor unit comprises an electric energy supply system to provide an electric current to the substrate for the electroplating process in the electroplating chamber, preferably wherein the electric current amounts to 50 Ampere and larger, more preferably 100 Ampere and larger.

15. The process station according to claim 7, wherein the rotor unit comprises a rinsing liquid supply system to supply a rinsing liquid to the substrate.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0078] Exemplary embodiments of the invention will be described in the following with reference to the accompanying drawing:

[0079] FIG. 1 shows schematically and exemplarily an embodiment of a process station for a chemical and/or electrolytic surface treatment of a substrate according to the invention.

[0080] FIG. 2 shows schematically and exemplarily the process station for a chemical and/or electrolytic surface treatment of a substrate according to FIG. 1 in another position.

[0081] FIG. 3 shows schematically and exemplarily the process station for a chemical and/or electrolytic surface treatment in another position.

[0082] FIG. 4 shows schematically and exemplarily the process station for a chemical and/or electrolytic surface treatment in still another position.

[0083] FIG. 5 shows schematically and exemplarily the process station for a chemical and/or electrolytic surface treatment in still another position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0084] FIG. 1 shows schematically and exemplarily a process station 10 for a chemical and/or electrolytic surface treatment of a substrate 20. The process station 10 comprises a pre-wetting chamber 12, an electroplating chamber 13, and a rotor unit 11. The pre-wetting chamber 12 and the electroplating chamber 13 are arranged opposite to each other with the rotor unit 11 in between.

[0085] The pre-wetting chamber 12 is a housing, in which a pre-wetting and optionally a rinsing and/or a drying of the substrate 20 takes place. The electroplating chamber 13 is a housing, in which an electroplating process takes place. The pre-wetting chamber 12 and the electroplating chamber 13 are arranged in the same process station 10. The substrate 20 does not leave the process station 10 during and between pre-wetting and electroplating.

[0086] As explained in more detail further below with reference to the other Figures, the rotor unit 11 moves the substrate 20 into the pre-wetting chamber 12, out of the pre-wetting chamber 12, to the electroplating chamber 13, into the electroplating chamber 13 and out of the electroplating chamber 13, back to the pre-wetting chamber 12, and out of the pre-wetting chamber 12. This is done without releasing the substrate 20 from the rotor unit 11 and in particular without changing the fixture of the substrate 20 to the rotor unit 11.

[0087] The rotor unit 11 therefore comprises a drive unit 111 and a holding unit 112 for the substrate 20. The drive unit 111 is an engine with a transmission. The holding unit 112 is a frame element to hold the substrate 20.

[0088] The rotor unit 11 holds the substrate 20 and provides a supply of a pre-wetting pressure (e.g. vacuum) and/or a pre-wetting atmosphere (e.g. a gas different to air) and/or an electrical current (e.g. up to 100 Ampere and more for the electroplating) to the substrate 20. The rotor unit 11 therefore comprises a pressure supply system 113, a gas supply system 114 and an electric energy supply system 115. The rotor unit 11 further comprises a rinsing liquid supply system to supply a rinsing liquid to the substrate 20.

[0089] The rotor unit 11 enables a lateral movement of the substrate 20 (up and down) and/or a spin movement (horizontally in a substrate 20 surface and approximately around a center of the substrate 20) and/or a rotational movement around an axis normal to the spin movement of the substrate 20 (tilt the substrate 20 upwards to downwards). This allows the substrate 20 to be moved up and down, be centrifuged and to be rotated from front-side-up on top of the rotor unit 11 to front-side-down below the rotor unit 11 as shown in the following:

[0090] A method for a chemical and/or electrolytic surface treatment of a substrate 20 in a process station 10 comprises the following steps, not necessarily in this order and not necessarily all of them: [0091] S1. mounting a substrate 20 to be treated to a rotor unit 11 (see FIG. 1), [0092] S2. moving the rotor unit 11 with the substrate 20 into a pre-wetting chamber 12 of the process station 10 (see FIG. 2), [0093] S3. optionally modifying a gas system in the pre-wetting chamber 12 (see FIG. 2), [0094] S4. applying a pre-wetting fluid to the substrate 20 in the pre-wetting chamber 12 (see FIG. 2), [0095] S5. optionally modifying the gas system in the pre-wetting chamber 12 (see FIG. 2), [0096] S6. moving the rotor unit 11 with the substrate 20 at least partially out of the pre-wetting chamber 12 (see FIG. 3), [0097] S7. spinning the rotor unit 11 with the substrate 20 in a spinning plane to centrifugally reduce the pre-wetting fluid at a surface of the substrate 20 (see FIG. 3), [0098] S8. rotating the rotor unit 11 with the substrate 20 normal to the spinning plane so that the substrate 20 faces away from the pre-wetting chamber 12 (see FIG. 4), [0099] S9. moving the rotor unit 11 with the substrate 20 into an electroplating chamber 13 of the process station 10 (see FIG. 4), [0100] S10. applying an electrolyte liquid and an electric current to the substrate 20 for an electroplating process on the substrate 20 in the electroplating chamber 13 (see FIG. 4), [0101] S11. moving the rotor unit 11 with the substrate 20 out of the electroplating chamber 13 (see FIG. 5), [0102] S12. optionally rotating the rotor unit 11 with the substrate 20 so that the substrate 20 faces towards the pre-wetting chamber 12 (see FIG. 5), [0103] S13. optionally moving the rotor unit 11 with the substrate 20 into or into proximity of the pre-wetting chamber 12 (see FIG. 5), [0104] S14. optionally applying a rinsing liquid to the substrate 20 inside or in proximity of the pre-wetting chamber 12 (see FIG. 5), and [0105] S15. optionally applying a drying flow to the substrate 20 in the pre-wetting chamber 12 (see FIG. 5).

[0106] As shown in FIG. 1, the step S1 of mounting the substrate 20 to the rotor unit 11 means that the substrate 20 is loaded onto the rotor unit 11, which supports, holds and moves the substrate 20 for the entire following process steps (from pre-wetting to electroplating to optionally rinsing and/or drying).

[0107] As shown in FIG. 2, the step S2 of moving the rotor unit 11 with the substrate 20 into the pre-wetting chamber 12 of the process station 10 means that the rotor unit 11 with the substrate 20 is moved upwards into an upper part of the process station 10 and into the pre-wetting chamber 12. A sealing is established between the pre-wetting chamber 12 and the rotor unit 11.

[0108] Step S3 of modifying a gas system in the pre-wetting chamber 12 is a reduction of pressure (e.g. 0.7 bar or vacuum) relative to atmospheric pressure before the pre-wetting step to e.g. remove ambient air out of recesses of the substrate 20. The modification of the gas system can also or additionally be an exchange of gas in contrast to ambient air.

[0109] Step S4 of applying a pre-wetting fluid to the substrate 20 in the pre-wetting chamber 12 means that the pre-wetting fluid penetrates and wets the substrate 20 and in particular bottoms and sidewalls of recesses in the substrate 20.

[0110] Step S5 of modifying the gas system in the pre-wetting chamber 12 is an increase of the pressure after step S3 back to atmospheric pressure. The reduced pressure or vacuum of step S3 is released to achieve atmospheric ambient pressure (about 1 bar). This is achieved by means of a gas stream out of the rotor unit 11 or through a gas supply system installed on the chamber into an open volume between the rotor unit 11 and the interior of the pre-wetting chamber 12. The gas stream may be air, nitrogen, gases soluble in the pre-wetting liquid (e.g. CO2 or SO2) or the like. The modification of the gas system can also or additionally be an exchange of gas back to ambient air. There is no need to maintain any modification different to ambient air and pressure after the pre-wetting.

[0111] As shown in FIG. 3, the step S6 of moving the rotor unit 11 with the substrate 20 out of the pre-wetting chamber 12 can be understood in that the rotor unit 11 with the substrate 20 is moved into a spin position (e.g. 25 mm) below the pre-wetting position and below the pre-wetting chamber 12.

[0112] Step S7 of spinning the rotor unit 11 with the substrate 20 in a spinning plane S to centrifugally reduce the pre-wetting fluid at a surface of the substrate 20 can be understood as ejecting an excess of the pre-wetting fluid through the spinning of the rotor unit 11 and the substrate 20 at e.g. several hundred rpm. The wording “centrifugally reduce the pre-wetting fluid” means that the pre-wetting fluid is removed from a surface of the substrate 20, but still remains in recesses of the substrate 20. The spinning plane S can be understood as the plane in which the substrate 20 is spun. The spinning plane is normal to an imaginary connection line between the pre-wetting chamber 12 and the electroplating chamber 13. The spinning plane S may be parallel to a surface of the substrate 20 or an extension of the surface of the substrate 20. The rotor unit 11 can spin the substrate 20 with e.g. 1500 rounds per minute or 2000 rounds per minute around a center of the substrate 20.

[0113] As shown in FIG. 4, the step S8 of rotating the rotor unit 11 with the substrate 20 normal to the spinning plane means that the substrate 20 is tilted and now faces away from the pre-wetting chamber 12. The rotor unit 11 with the substrate 20 is subjected to a rotational movement around an axis normal to the rotational spin movement of the substrate 20 as shown in FIG. 3. The rotor unit 11 with the substrate 20 is now in a position to face down towards the electroplating chamber 13. In other words, the rotor unit 11 pivots by 180° in a vertical direction such that the rotor unit 11 and the substrate 20 can be directed to the electroplating chamber 13.

[0114] Step S9 of moving the rotor unit 11 with the substrate 20 in the electroplating chamber 13 of the process station 10 can be understood in that the rotor unit 11 holding the substrate 20 is moved to the electroplating chamber 13 of the processing station, establishes an alignment between the electroplating chamber 13 and the rotor unit 11, and then enters the electroplating chamber 13.

[0115] Step S10 of applying an electrolyte liquid and an electric current to the substrate 20 for the electroplating process of the substrate 20 in the electroplating chamber 13 means that the electroplating process takes places. The rotor unit 11 may supply up to 100 Ampere and more of current. The electroplating can be done in ambient air and/or at atmospheric pressure.

[0116] As shown in FIG. 5, the step S11 of moving the rotor unit 11 with the substrate 20 out of the electroplating chamber 13 can be understood in that the rotor unit 11 is removed from the electroplating chamber 13. The substrate 20 is then above the electroplating chamber 13.

[0117] Step S12 of rotating the rotor unit 11 with the substrate 20 means that the substrate 20 now faces again towards the pre-wetting chamber 12. The substrate 20 is on top of the rotor unit 11.

[0118] Step S13 is moving the rotor unit 11 with the substrate 20 back into or in proximity to the pre-wetting chamber 12.

[0119] Step S14 is applying a rinsing liquid to the substrate 20 in the pre-wetting chamber 12 to remove electrolyte residues from the substrate 20.

[0120] Step S15 is applying a drying flow to the substrate 20 inside the pre-wetting chamber 12 or in close proximity to dry the substrate 20. The substrate 20 is subjected to a dry process in the pre-wetting chamber 12 in order to enable a dry handling of the substrate 20 from the rotor unit 11 to e.g. a substrate 20 transportation system.

[0121] It has to be noted that embodiments of the invention are described with reference to different subject matters. In particular, some embodiments are described with reference to method type claims whereas other embodiments are described with reference to the device type claims. However, a person skilled in the art will gather from the above and the following description that, unless otherwise notified, in addition to any combination of features belonging to one type of subject matter also any combination between features relating to different subject matters is considered to be disclosed with this application. However, all features can be combined providing synergetic effects that are more than the simple summation of the features.

[0122] While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, such illustration and description are to be considered illustrative or exemplary and not restrictive. The invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. Other variations to the disclosed embodiments can be understood and effected by those skilled in the art in practicing a claimed invention, from a study of the drawings, the disclosure, and the dependent claims.

[0123] In the claims, the word “comprising” does not exclude other elements or steps, and the indefinite article “a” or “an” does not exclude a plurality. A single processor or other unit may fulfil the functions of several items re-cited in the claims. The mere fact that certain measures are re-cited in mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these measures cannot be used to advantage. Any reference signs in the claims should not be construed as limiting the scope.